Cut post-harvest losses for smallholder tomato growers

Overview

Reduce the share of tomatoes lost between the farm and the processing plant.

Posted by

Agro-processor · Mashonaland East

Location

Mashonaland East (field testing with growers)

Sub-theme

Agritech & Food Security

Team size

2–6 people

Pilot budget

US$12,000

Applications close

30 Nov 2026

• Cold chain
• Mobile
• Logistics

The problem

Background

The processor buys tomatoes from about 400 smallholder growers within 80 km of its plant. Growers deliver by scotch cart, pickup or bus, often after a day or more in the heat.

What's going wrong

Around a third of delivered tomatoes are rejected or downgraded for bruising and spoilage. Growers lose income, and the plant runs below capacity in peak season while fruit rots at the farm gate.

What we need

A strong solution will:

• Cut post-harvest losses on the route from farm to plant.
• Keep the cost per grower low enough to pay back within one season.
• Help growers time harvests to the plant’s intake schedule.
• Work for growers who only have basic phones.

Constraints

• Most farms have no grid power.
• Must suit growers with low literacy and basic phones.
• The plant’s food safety standards apply.

Deliverables

By forum week, matched teams are expected to bring:

1. A prototype or tested process used by at least 10 growers.
2. Loss measurements before and after.
3. A cost model per grower and per tonne.
4. A seven-minute pitch for forum week.

How teams are evaluated

Applications and final pitches are scored by the challenge owner and the ZBIF secretariat on:

• Fit to the problem30%

  Does it solve the problem as the challenge owner describes it?

• Technical feasibility25%

  Can the team build and run it with the resources available?

• Cost and scalability20%

  Is it affordable to pilot, and to roll out if the pilot works?

• Team capability15%

  Does the team have the skills and time to deliver?

• Local impact10%

  Jobs, skills or value it keeps in Zimbabwe.

Who can apply

• A registered ZBIF innovator account: innovators, consultancies, technologists, university teams or freelancers.
• At least one team member based in Zimbabwe.
• Able to attend forum week in Bulawayo on 27–28 April 2027 if shortlisted.
• IP ownership and pilot terms are agreed between your team and the challenge owner in the Deal Room.

Timeline

1. 21 Sep 2026 Challenge posted We are here
2. 30 Nov 2026 Applications close
3. Within 3 weeks Matching results sent to teams and the challenge owner
4. Until mid-April 2027 Build phase, with mentor and challenge-owner check-ins
5. 27–28 Apr 2027 Live pitch and Deal Rooms at forum week, Bulawayo

Data and resources

Shared with matched teams after signing a simple data-use agreement.

• Intake and rejection records, last two seasons Spreadsheet
• Group of lead farmers for field tests Introduced after matching
• Plant logistics manager as point of contact Fortnightly check-in